Fewer speeders in Saskatoon school zones: police

As parents altered their schedules and routines on Tuesday, police strongly urged drivers to adjust their speeds in school zones.

The 30 km/h speed limit went into effect for Saskatoon school zones on Sept. 1.

Police said they would be watching speeders in those areas as students returned to school Tuesday, but the real crackdown begins Wednesday.

“In terms of actually having an organized program aimed at the school zones, we do like to give a couple of days for people to get used to it again,” said Sgt. Patrick Barbar, who is in charge of the combined traffic services unit.

That’s not to say, however, that drivers should assume nothing is going to happen to them and they can just breeze through school zones.

“Every individual violation can put a child at risk,” Barbar said.

Police were out doing patrols Tuesday morning, and one photo radar box was also posted near Ècole Henry Kelsey, just off 33rd Street.

“The base fine is $140. For every kilometre above that, up to 30, it’s $2 a kilometre,” Barbar said. “And there’s a $50 victim surcharge.”

Police have noted a steady decline in the number of tickets written for the months of September since 2013.

There were 740 school zone tickets issued in 2013, compared to 258 violations in 2016.

Barbar attributes the decline to public education and awareness, in particular, the use of bright florescent roll-out signs that sit in the middle of the road when school zones are in effect.